A Change of Name
by Josephine77
Summary: Henry surprises everyone when he decides he wants to change his name.


"What is the meaning of this?" Regina demanded, slamming the paper she'd had clutched in her hands down on the table beside her son.

Henry, who had been enjoying a breakfast with Emma before his mother had stormed into the diner, hung his head and began shoveling food into his mouth, attempting to ignore her.

"Did you think the school wouldn't notify me of this?"

"What's going on?" Emma's eyes shifted between Regina and Henry. She set her fork down and shot a look to her son. "Did something happen at school? Please tell me you didn't get suspended. What'd you do? Break into a supply closet? Skip class?"

"No," wailed Regina. "He just decided to go into the school office and got a 'Change of Information' form from the secretary. Seems Henry here has decided to change his name."

"What!" Emma exclaimed in surprise. "You can't just decide to change your name. And certainly not without either of us signing off on it, kiddo. What were you thinking?"

Tinking bells hanging over the diner's entrance proved to be the distraction Henry needed. "Hey, Grandpa," he yelled out, trying to buy some time away from his mothers' inquisition. "Still on for this afternoon? I can be there by three."

Mr. Gold walked to the register, signaling Ruby for her attention. "Of course, my boy," he answered as he pulled out his billfold to cover his take-out order. "Whatever time you get off school is fine by me."

"You!" Regina accused, turning toward Rumplestiltskin. "You are the cause of this. All this time Henry's been spending with you at your shop. I knew I shouldn't have allowed it."

"As usual, Regina, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Exasperated and not getting any answers, Emma explained, "Henry decided notify the school he was changing his name without telling us anything about it."

"This was your doing," Regina continued to rant. " He would have never…."

"Shut up for once, Regina." Rumplestiltskin interrupted. "Restraint was never your strongpoint. Nice to know some things never change. You never did learn to curb that tongue of yours."

Grabbing the paper out of Regina's hands, Emma commented, "Regina, he's been going by Swan for awhile now, you can't…" But she didn't finish, instead turning to her son. "Henry, you want to change your name to 'Cassidy?'"

Walking over to his grandson, Mr. Gold sat down and asked, "What's going on, son?"

Having all eyes in the diner now on him and the undivided attention of his family, Henry couldn't think of a way out of this mess except with the truth. Letting out a sigh, he explained, "I just wanted a piece of my dad with me. Something to remember him by."

"But, Henry," Emma exclaimed. "You just can't randomly change your name."

"That's the thing," Henry answered, his voice rising as he shifted around uncomfortably. "Then what name _do _I use?"

"What kind of question is that?" Regina commanded. "You're a Mills."

Lifting her eyebrow at Regina, Emma exclaimed, "Excuse me, but he's been going by Swan. That's what he went by in New York and that's what all his friends there know him by."

"See what I mean?" a confused Henry asked. "I have two sets of memories in me of Henry Mills and Henry Swan. But I just want to be me! If I use either name, someone will end up being hurt."

"Henry," Emma said softly, not knowing what to add.

"I only got to spend little bit of time with my dad. I didn't even get to say goodbye to him. I sat through his funeral with no memories of him." Henry paused and looked up at the three adults staring at him. "I just want to be 'Henry Cassidy.'"

"Henry, you have to come and talk to us about these things." explained Emma. "You just can't go and change a few forms and be done with it. There is paperwork you must fill out and channels you must follow. It isn't done in a day."

Turning to the older man beside him, Henry asked, "Grandpa?"

With wave of his hand, reminiscent of his days as a theatrical imp, Rumple declared, "Done."

"What did you do?" Regina squeaked. "You just can't change records and my son's legal name with a flick of your wrist. You realize I can change it right back, don't you?"

"Regina," Rumple sighed. "I'll just do it again and then we'll be going in a never-ending circle."

"Mom," Henry pleaded.

Feeling defeated by the tag team of her nemesis and son, Regina exhaled, "Are you sure you want to do this, Henry? Isn't it enough that the little snowflake has your father's name. Why don't you take some time and think about it first?"

"I've been doing nothing but thinking for the last few weeks," he admitted, looking at each of his mothers. "I knew you wouldn't like it. That's why I didn't tell anyone about it."

"It's not even his real name," Regina argued, her last ditch effort to change her son's mind.

"It's who he was in this world, a Cassidy, and who I am, too," Henry spouted, sounding wise beyond his years.

Realizing it was a lost cause, Regina reached for the form and signed before pushing it across the table for Emma to do the same.

"Don't think because you got your way about this," Emma lectured as she signed the school document, "that you can get your way about everything."

Trying to control the smile on his face, Henry grabbed the form from his mother and stuffed it into his bag. "See you after school, Grandpa," he said to Mr. Gold as he jumped up and swung his backpack onto his shoulders. before turning to kiss both mothers on the cheek. "Got to leave. I'm going to be late. I'll just drop this off at the office as soon as I get into school," he trailed off as he ran out the door.

The three adult remaining at the table watched in wonder as the young man through the diner's windows as he hurried across the street. Each, considered invincible by many townspeople in their own unique ways, contemplating how easily they were manipulated by a mere slip of a boy. A quality that would one day make him a great leader.


End file.
